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Literally translates to “broth,” but we promise it’s much more. Chickpeas and rice cook in a rich chicken broth with carrots, chayote, and a few peppermint leaves, topped with a fresh cucumber-onion-serrano salad and shredded chicken. These comforting flavors are simple yet fresh, and for that reason we eat caldo at least bi-weekly, if not more often.
Serves about 10
Ingredients:
Soup
-1 cup dried garbanzo beans (you can use canned if you want and don’t have to cook them; if so, use 1 can)
-1kg chicken breast
-7 carrots, cut in strips or chunks or however you like them
-1 onion, halved
-2 large chayote, cut in chunks (if you can’t find chayote, potato will work, or even zucchini)
-1 cube of chicken bouillon
-a few peppermint leaves
-3/4 cups of rice
Cucumber salad:
-1 cucumber, cut in dime-sized small chunks
-1/2 onion, finely diced
-1 serrano pepper, finely minced (or more if you want it spicier. You can also leave this out if you don’t want it spicy).
Directions:
1. In a pot, boil the garbanzo beans in water for 2 hours or until soft.
2. In a separate large soup pot, add the chicken breasts and onion halves and cover with as much water as you want broth. Boil 30-45 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. For a richer broth, you can add in other cuts of meat, like thighs or legs, or ask your butcher for bones which you can throw in for flavor.
3. While everything is cooking, prepare the cucumber-onion-serrano salad by chopping everything up and throwing it together in a bowl.
4. When garbanzos are ready, strain them from the cooking water and add them into the chicken broth pot. Add the chicken bouillon as well.
5. Bring to a boil and add in the rice, chayote (or potato/zucchini), carrot, and 1Tbs salt.
6. Continue boiling until veggies are cooked to your desired consistency, about 20 minutes.
7. A few minutes before everything’s ready, add in the peppermint leaves.
8. When your soup is ready, remove the chicken. Using your hands or a fork, pull the cooked chicken breasts apart until the meat is shredded. Add the shredded chicken back into the soup.
Serve and enjoy topped with the cucumber salad and avocado slices, with warm tortillas on the side; or make delicious and simple avocado tacos with lime and salt 😊